In this sequel to the two Lampoon Vacation flicks, the Griswold family host their dysfunctional relatives for the holiday as the dad (Chevy Chase) contends with spontaneously combusting Christmas lights and temperamental trees while anticipating the arrival of his annual bonus.

Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) is a divorced father whose strained relationship with his son, Charlie, begins to mend only after a bizarre twist of fate transforms him into the new Santa. When the current Mr. Claus falls off the roof on Christmas Eve, Scott dons Santa’s suit, and he and his son are whisked off to the North Pole. There he meets Bernard, the head elf, who tells him about the Clause, a contract stating that whoever puts on the Santa suit must also take on all the responsibilities that go with the position. Scott isn’t too thrilled about his sudden career change, but Charlie is overjoyed.

In Frank Capra’s classic holiday comedy/drama, an angel (Henry Travers) helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman, George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart), by showing what life would have been like if he never existed. George starts to realize how many lives he has changed and impacted, and how they would be different if he was never there.